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There’s a trend in Body Positivity inspiring us to accept our bodies as is and live happily in the skin we’re in. Celebrities are sharing untouched photos. Fitspirations are showing less posed and more authentic angles. Happy is the new sexy, and we believe it!

And then there are those days. Those days when we look in the mirror and only see flaws, not features. It can be exhausting and demoralizing. We may not have control over our feelings, but we can control how we respond to them. We can either keep feeling sorry for ourselves, or we can take each low day as a challenge to love our bodies even more.

Challenge - accepted, and here are reasons why:

1.Loving your body is the first step.Self-love coach Anastasia Amour says it beautifully: “Even if you’re in the process of trying to change your body, you need to be content with what it is, right here, right now. Because if you can’t be happy with yourself now, you won’t be happy with yourself ever.” So get to it!

2.It’s 2017! #SelfLove is in. Body Positive Communities exist, and there’s a tribe for every vibe. #EffYourBeautyStandards challenges the outlandish “ideal body” image. #HonorMyCurves highlights beauty we usually hide. #BoPoWarriors and #SelfLoveSoldiers are all around the world.

3. Your body already loves you. Love it back.Think about everything you’ve got going on right now: school, work, family, social life, passions, a love life. You and that body are accomplishing so much every day. Why feel bad about what you’re capable of? Hating on your body won’t make it better. Instead, admire its strength. Praise yourself. You and your body are a team, and teamwork makes the dream work.

4. Your time should be spent on joyful thoughts.Trust in Meryl Streep: “Don’t waste so much time thinking about how much you weigh. There is no more mind-numbing, boring, idiotic, self-destructive diversion from the fun of living.” Preach!

5. There’s nothing wrong with you, so don’t punish yourself.Your body doesn’t need a bully! Just because you don’t look a certain way, doesn’t mean you’re flawed. We can’t stress this enough: You are enough. Your lack of thigh gap doesn’t correlate to your goodness. Your shape doesn’t define your heart. Whatever you do with your body, do it because you love it, not because you hate it.

6. It’s your responsibility to love yourself.We’ve gotten so used to being our worst critic, that to be comfortable in our bodies is seen as “brave.” It is now, but it also should just be the norm. For that to happen, we all have to believe it. Truth is, feeling good about yourself should be as natural and human as breathing. Do it for the next generation!

7. Tummy folds are normal. Really!Once you accept each roll and curve, they can’t control you.

8. You can inspire without even knowing it. The way you treat your body can influence the way others treat theirs. You want to convince someone to love their body? Live it. Be that walking spark of inspiration. You never know who’ll love themselves a little more because you do you.

9. Because you are worth loving.A shape, size or number on a scale isn’t a measure of your value. You’re so much more than that, and you know it. There’s no other simpler reason to love your body than because you are worth it.

It’s about time we be a lot kinder to our bodies. We’re all on a journey to be the best versions of ourselves. We might as well start with loving what we’re made of.

What do you love most about your body? Comment below or tag us on Instagram @iamclaireph!